The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-11-23
LIBBY PRISON.
THE STORY OF A TUNNEL Built
BY PRISONERS
Imprisoned Federal Soldiers Work
ing at NiSht-Some Escaped Safe
Iy and Others Were Recap
tured-Leaving Richmond.

commanded company III lsconSln
regiment during the war, and was taken
prisoner at Chlckamauga. To q Brook
lyn Eagle reporter Captain Watson has
given the following story ofan experience
at Libby Prison:
"Colonel Hobart, of my regiment,
first conveyed the information to me
that an escape from the prison was con
templated. The conception and cXecu'
tion of the plan was remarkable. The
honor of first suggesting it is claimed
by several, but think Colonel Rose, OF
the Seventy-seveIth Pennsylvania, is en-
titled to it. Colonel Rose is now al
officer in the regular army. lie first
favored going down into the sewer and
tunncling out from that. He stripped
and went into the sewer, but reported
against that project. The scheme lay
dormant for time and then the tunnel
was commenced. The bricks from the
fireplace were taken up and an aperture
made that would admit a mans body.
A rope ladder was then made with which
the diggers let themselves down into the
cellar. Major Mcdonald always removed
the bricks and replaced them himself.
The dirt that was takA out was con-
cealed with straw which was used fol
hospital purposes. About fifteen men
were engaged in the digging. Opera,
tions would commence about 10 P. NJ,
when the lights were put out and the
men were supposed to go to sleep, and
continued through the night. Colonel
Rose, who had been engaged in mining
in Pennsylvania, superintended the..work,
and from the window of the prison III
dicated the spot, as near as he could,
where the tunnel should end. When the
time came to open the tunnel Colonel
Rose crawled in and knocked out the
earth at the terminus. On .poking out
his head he found that he had miscal-
culated and that he was inside of the
fence instead of outside of it and very
near the beat of the sentry. He quickly
pulled his head in, had the hole plestered
up and the tunnel was extended. On
the night before the escape Colonel Rose
went out through the tunnel clad in citi-
zen's dress, walked about the streets in
Richmond and returned to the prison
again. He was challenged several times,
but managed to get through without
arousing suspicion. February 0, 1864,
was the night set for the escape. / had
been preparing for it for several days by
by saving up rations which we thought
would serveus uutil we reached the Union
lines. Not more than 300 of the 1900
prisoners knew anything about the tun-
mel. OF this number 10 went out, fifty
three escaped and the remainder were re.
captured and brought back.
1T required great deal of diplomacy
to satisfy the claims of the various men
who had been engaged in constructing
the tunnel and to arrange for the escape
in such a way that suspicion would not
be aroused. This duty was performed
in mastery manner by Colonel Hobart,
of my regiment. The warning factions,
which threatened Mt one time to disrupt
the whole scheme, were, through his in
strumentality, reconciled and clear and
concise plan of escape decided upon.
As I remember it, the plan was as fol-
lows: The men who had done the dig
ging, with one friend apiece, were first
to be allowed to 60 out, and then the
tunnel was to be closed for one hour,
then it was to be opened again and others
who had been notified were to fellow.
After another lot had gone out the tun-
mel was not to be used again till the fol-
lowing night, upon the presumption, of
course, that those who went out would
escape. Myself and Colonel Morgan
were among the second detachment to 60
out, and we went down into the base
nent, where number of comrades had
gathered awaiting an opportunity
to 60 down the rope ladder to the
tunnel entrance. While landing
here someone raised the cry, The
guards are ctming!' and there was
terrible stampede for the stairs. Men
ran like mad, turning over pals and ket-
ties and making great din. 1t is sur
prising that the suspicious Of the scntrics
were not aroused. The men sought
their accustomed sleeping places with the
narrowing thought that all chances of
escape were gone for that nj ght at least.
After Lieutenant Morgan and myself had
been lying still for a while we concluded
to make reconnaissance, and, going
down the stairs again, We found the base
mcnt almost deserted and perfectly still.
We were soon joined by half q dozen
others. was requested to go to the
front of the building and see if could
discern anything unusual going on among
the sentries. Upon listening attentively
/ heard one Confederate say to his COM
psnion: THE Yanks have been having
a great raid in there tonight. Didn't
you hear the kettles rattle" This con-
vinced me that their suspicious had not
been aroused, and we proceeded. AS 1
was about to 60 down the ladder I heard
the guard sing out: 'One o'clock and
all's well; more corn bread and beef
The latter part of the sentence being
thrown in with the intention of guying
the prisoners. The tunnel had been
worn smooth by those who had
preceded me, and by laying fat and
dragging myself along 1 managed to
get through. At one pointI got wcdged
and was obliged to do some squirming to
extricate myself. The tunnel opened
near an old she'd and in close proximity
to the senlry's beat. We were obliged to
make our final exit through covered
carriageway which had a large gate
which filled up the whole space. While I
was trying to unfasten this gate the per-
spiration poured off my face though it
was a cold night in February. At last I
found that there was small gate inside
the large one, and this unfastencd,
passed out and left it open for my com
panions. Great care was taken to clude
the sentries who came down to within
few feet of us. But by watching close
until they had started in an opposite
direction, we darted out, and by Keeping